Australian tourist dies in fiordland

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The body of a 69-year-old Australian tourist was recovered today
from snow and ice in Fiordland, on the New Zealand South Island,
after he failed to return from a short hike.

The man, whose name had not been released, was reported overdue
last night, Te Anau police said.

He had been staying at a hiker's hut on the 1,472-metre high
Mount Luxmore, near the lakeside resort of Te Anau, for several
weeks, news reports said.

The man had left the Luxmore Hut for a walk on the Kepler Track
about 5.30pm yesterday and the alarm was raised just after 8pm when
he did not reappear.

Crew aboard a Southern Lakes rescue helicopter spotted the
tourist's body on the face of Mt Luxmore today after a personal
locator beacon on his belt was remotely activated.

The body was about 300 metres northwest of the Luxmore Hut.

Rescuers had to cope with temperatures of minus six degrees
Celsius with near whiteout conditions.

The helicopter could only operate during breaks in the
weather.

"It is unlikely that the body would have been found without the
locator beacon until the snow melted, as it would have been totally
covered in thick snow in another 12-24 hours," Constable James
Munro said.

The beacon had been hired from the Southland Locator Beacon
Charitable Trust.

The tourist's body was carried back to the track and airlifted
to Te Anau. The death had been referred to the Invercargill coroner
and next of kin were still been notified tonight.

Other hikers at Luxmore Hut were advised today to return to Te
Anau and not to continue on the alpine section of the Kepler
Track.

"Snow may stay for several weeks or months now in this area,"
Munro said.

The South Island was struck by road closures and treacherous
driving conditions today as wintry weather closed in.